as in leisurely
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
the dawdling pace of the movie was really making us restless
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in delaying
to move or act slowly
if you continue to dawdle, we'll be late for sure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in loafing
to spend time doing nothing
accused the city council of dawdling even as the crime rate was spiraling out of control
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of dawdling
Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
Carl Anka, New York Times, 5 June 2026
Further, there’s no excuse for Congress to continue dawdling on farm policy.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Faster pit stops could also help unlock sales for electric two-wheelers, which have been slow to catch on due to dawdling charge times and limited riding range.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Mar. 2023
Adjective
The third and final wave of a dawdling Pacific storm will hit San Diego County Thursday afternoon, wrapping up four days of soaking rains, heavy snow, tree-snapping winds and lightning that arced through the darkest hours of the night, the National Weather Service says.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
Indeed, Ederson has moments where he can be caught dawdling with the ball, hoping for an opening that doesn’t always arrive.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 5 June 2026
Further, there’s no excuse for Congress to continue dawdling on farm policy.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Faster pit stops could also help unlock sales for electric two-wheelers, which have been slow to catch on due to dawdling charge times and limited riding range.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawdling
Adjective
-
In 1943, Shalit headed to the University of Illinois and took a leisurely six years to earn his degree.—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2026
-
That leisurely pace would lead only to more murder, and more assassinations.—
Wesley Morris,
New York Times,
9 June 2026
Verb
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And while research shows that exercise supports healthy sleep by regulating body temperature, mood, metabolism and circadian rhythm, Weiner cautions that exercising too close to bedtime can interfere with sleep by delaying sleep onset, shortening sleep duration and lowering overall sleep quality.—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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The remaining providers are stretched thin, and patients are traveling farther for care — often delaying prenatal visits or arriving in labor without adequate support.—
Jocelyn Mitchell-Williams,
STAT,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Martin removed his right fielder for loafing on a ball hit to the outfield.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
-
Kids who used to run to the field excited to play, suddenly started loafing to the field wearing their crocs with their heads buried in their phones.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Virgo moon invites you to take a slower pace today.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
-
The Targaryen civil war has been a bit of a slow burn so far, though both sides of the family have suffered major casualties.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Inventories are unlikely to fully rebuild given the scale of draws in the first half-year and ongoing government stockpiling, the bank said, while lingering geopolitical risk premium would keep a floor under prices.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
16 June 2026
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Southern Living also noted that local tourism officials are encouraging visitors to return to the region, as many businesses remain open and rely on tourism dollars despite lingering perceptions that the area is still closed following Hurricane Helene.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Last week's sell-off was triggered on Wednesday by idling – though robust – revenue projections from chipmaker Broadcom and may have been exacerbated by a call from artificial intelligence startup Anthropic for the sector to slow down its pace of advancements .—
Tobias Burns,
CNBC,
9 June 2026
-
The problem is that powering up the engines, idling them, and then using their massive power just to trundle around the tarmac is scarcely economical.—
David Szondy
June 07,
New Atlas,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Mbappé has already been a hero for his country, winning the World Cup in 2018 and scoring a hat-trick in the 2022 final while almost dragging his team to an unlikely defense of the title.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
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Avoid activities that could create a spark, including campfires, outdoor burning and dragging trailer chains.—
Joe Ruch,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Based on the Los Angeles and Atlanta terminals, travelers on domestic flights typically spend one hour lounging before going through security, and those on international flights take about 90 minutes, Porter said.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
-
Beautifully landscaped, it shifts from shallow lounging areas suitable for children into deeper sections for proper swimming.—
Arion McNicoll,
TheWeek,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dawdling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdling. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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